Optical pick-up apparatus

ABSTRACT

An optical pick-up apparatus comprising an optical modular device having two light sources for emitting light beams of different power levels, a photo-refractive crystal device disposed on the optical modular device and a recording medium for coupling the powers of the light beams emitted from the two light sources, and an objective lens disposed on the optical path between the photo-refractive crystal device and the recording medium for focusing the light beam emitted from the light sources on the recording medium. The optical modular device is comprised of a substrate, a mount installed on the substrate, first and second light sources installed on opposing sides of the mount, a photo-detector installed on the mount for receiving a light beam which is reflected from a recording medium, a housing having an opening in the upper portion thereof and incorporated on the upper surface of the substrate, an optical path changing unit installed at the opening of the housing for changing the path of an incident light beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical pick-up apparatus forrecording and/or reproducing various types of information on an opticalrecording medium, and more particularly, to an optical pick-up apparatusemploying an optical modular device having two light sources ofdifferent power levels.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional holographic pick-up apparatuscomprises an optical module 10, integrally formed with a light source 12for emitting a light beam and a photo-detector 17 for detecting a lightbeam reflected from an optical recording medium, and objective lens 16for converging the light beam emitted from the light source 12 onto theoptical recording medium 1.

The above-mentioned optical module 10 includes a substrate 2 and ahousing 3. The light source 12 is installed at one side of a mount 11that is installed on the substrate 2 within the housing 3. Thephoto-detector 17 is installed on the mount 11 and detects error signalsand a radio frequency signal as a light beam reflected from the opticalrecording medium 1. In this example, an edge-emitting laser is employedas the light source 12.

Two light beams are emitted in opposite directions from the light source12—one light beam is emitted toward the objective lens 16 and the otherlight beam is emitted toward a monitoring photo-detector 13, which isinstalled on the substrate 2. The radiant power of the light source 12is controlled according to the incident light beam on the monitoringphoto-detector 13. A hologram element 15 and a grating 14 are fittedinto an opening of the housing 3. The hologram element 15 allows anincident light beam from the light source 12 to be transmittedstraightforwardly, and diffracts a light beam reflected from the opticalrecording medium 1 toward the photo-detector 17. The grating 14diffracts and transmits the incident light beam from the light source12, resulting in a zeroth order light beam, ±1 st order light beams, andso on. Therefore, it is possible for the photo-detector 17 to detect atracking error signal using a 3-light beam method.

The conventional optical pick-up apparatus constructed as describedabove has the advantage of simplifying by employing one optical moduleand one objective lens 16. On the other hand, since the power levels ofthe light source 12 required for recording information on the recordingmedium and reproducing information from the recording medium aredifferent, the conventional optical pick-up apparatus has thedisadvantage of having to tune the power level of the light source 12 byemploying an appropriate circuit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To solve the above problem, it is an objective of the present inventionto provide an optical pick-up apparatus having two light sourcesemitting light beams of different power levels within a housing.

Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, an optical pick-upapparatus is provided comprising a modular device having two lightsources for emitting light beams of different power levels, aphoto-refractive crystal device disposed on the optical path between theoptical modular device and the recording medium for coupling the powersof the light beams emitted from the two light sources, and an objectivelens disposed on the optical path between the photo-refractive crystaldevice and the recording medium for focusing the light beam emitted fromthe light source on the recording medium. The modular device iscomprised of a substrate, a mount installed on the substrate, first andsecond light sources installed on opposing sides of the mount, aphoto-detector installed on the mount for receiving a light beam whichis reflected from a recording medium, a housing having an opening in theupper portion thereof and incorporated on the upper surface of thesubstrate, and an optical path changing unit installed at the opening onthe housing for changing the path of an incident light beam.

Here, the apparatus may further comprise first and second monitoringphoto-detectors, which are installed on the upper surface of thesubstrate to detect radiant powers of light beams emitted from the firstand second light sources, respectively.

Further, the optical path changing unit includes first hologram elementsprovided with first and second patterns which diffract and transmitincident light beams from the first and second light sources,respectively, and second hologram elements installed upon the firsthologram elements and provided with third and fourth patterns whichdiffract and transmit the incident light beams from the objective lensonto the photo-detector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objective and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment thereofwith reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical layout of aconventional optical pick-up apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an optical layout of anembodiment of an optical pick-up apparatus according to the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 2, an embodiment of an optical pick-up apparatusaccording to the present invention comprises an optical modular device20 which emits light beams and receives light beams reflected from arecording medium 1, a photo-refractive crystal device 37 for couplingthe powers of two incident light beams, and an objective lens 39disposed on the optical path between the photo-refractive crystal device37 and the recording medium 1 for converging incident light beams ontothe recording medium 1.

The optical modular device 20 includes a substrate 22, and a housing 23on the upper surface of the substrate 22. A mount 31 is fixed on thesubstrate 22 within the housing 23, first and second light sources 41and 51 are installed at opposing sides of the mount 31, and aphoto-detector 33 for detecting light beams reflected from the recordingmedium 1 is installed on the upper surface of the mount 31.

In this embodiment, the first and second light sources 41 and 51 areedge-emitting lasers. Two light beams emitted from the light sources 41and 51 are directed to the recording medium 1, and two correspondinglight beams, are received respectively by first and second monitoringphoto-detectors 43 and 53, which are disposed on the substrate 22, andare used respectively for controlling the radiant powers of the lightsources 41 and 51.

The radiant powers of the light beams emitted from the first and secondlight sources 41 and 51 are different from each other. The first lightsource 41 may be designed to emit a light beam having a radiant powerof, for example, 10 mW or 20 mW, and preferably to emit a light beam ofany one of the two power levels selectively. The second light source 51may be designed to emit a light beam having a radiant power of, forexample, 5 mW, which is much less than that of the first light source41.

An optical path changing unit 30 which is fitted into an opening in theupper portion of the housing 23 diffracts and transmits incident lightbeams from the first and second light sources 41 and 51, and changes theoptical paths of the incident light beams reflected from the recordingmedium 1 toward the photo-detector 33.

The optical path changing unit 30 comprises first hologram elements 45and 55 and second hologram elements 47 and 57 coupled to the firsthologram elements 45 and 55, respectively. The first hologram elements45 and 55 are respectively provided with first and second patterns 45aand 55a which diffract and transmit the light beams emitted from thefirst and second light sources 41 and 51 toward the objective lens 39.The second hologram elements 47 and 57 are respectively provided withthird and fourth patterns 47a and 57a which diffract and transmit thelight beams reflected from the recording medium 1 onto thephoto-detector 33.

The photo-refractive crystal device 37 which is a nonlinear devicecouples the powers of the light beams emitted from the first and secondlight sources 41 and 51, and directs the light beams to the objectivelens 39. The photo-refractive crystal device 37 is formed of a materialsuch as BaTiO₃, Bi₁₂SiO₂₀, LiNbO₃, KNbO₃, GaAs and SBN.

Preferably, the present invention further includes a converging lens 35which is disposed between the optical path changing unit and thepholo-refractive crystal device 37 and converges incident light beams.

The optical pick-up apparatus according to the present invention employsan optical module having two light sources emitting light beams ofdifferent power levels and a photo-refractive crystal device to attainlight beams of suitable power levels for recording and reproducingoperations, and thus a tuning circuit can be omitted to simplify theconstruction of the apparatus.

Although the illustrative embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited to those preciseembodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may beaffected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined bythe appended claims.

1. An optical pick-up apparatus comprising: an optical modular device having first and second light sources for emitting light beams of different power levels; a photo-refractive crystal device disposed on the optical path between said optical modular device and a recording medium for coupling the powers of the light beams emitted from said two light sources; and an objective lens disposed on the optical path between said photo-refractive crystal device and said recording medium for focusing the light beams emitted from said light sources on said recording medium.
 2. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical modular device comprises: a substrate; a mount fixed on said substrate; said first and second light sources installed on opposing sides of said mount, each emitting a light beam of a predetermined power level; a photo-detector installed on said mount for receiving a light beam which is reflected from said recording medium; a housing having an opening in the upper portion thereof; and an optical path changing unit installed at said opening of the housing for changing the path of an incident light beam.
 3. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said optical modular device further comprises first and second photo-detectors, which are installed on the upper surface of said substrate to detect radiant powers of light beams emitted from said first and second light sources, respectively.
 4. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said optical path changing unit comprises: first hologram elements provided with first and second patterns which diffract and transmit incident light beams from said first and second light sources, respectively; and second hologram elements installed adjacent said first hologram elements and provided with third and fourth patterns which diffract and transmit incident light beams from said objective lens onto said photo-detector.
 5. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a converging lens which is disposed between the optical path changing means and the photo-refractive crystal device and converges incident light beams.
 6. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photo-refractive crystal device is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of BaTiO₃, Bi₁₂SiO₂₀, LiNbO₃, KNbO₃, GaAs and SBN.
 7. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power level of the light beam emitted by the first light source is 10 mW.
 8. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power level of the light beam emitted by the first light source is 20 mW.
 9. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power level of the light beam emitted by the second light source is 5 mW.
 10. An optical pick-up apparatus comprising: an optical modular device having at least two light sources for emitting light beams of different power levels; a photo-refractive crystal device disposed on the optical path between said optical modular device and a recording medium for coupling the powers of the light beams emitted from said two light sources; and an objective lens disposed on the optical path between said photo-refractive crystal device and said recording medium for focusing the light beams emitted from said light sources on said recording medium.
 11. An optical module comprising: first and second light sources for emitting light beams of different optical characteristics; an optical path changing unit for changing through diffraction the path of incident light beams whereby a light beam impinging on said optical path changing unit on substantially a same optical path as a light beam from said optical path changing unit is separated from said light beam from said optical path changing unit within said optical module; and a photo-detector which detects said light incident on, and subsequently separated by, said optical path changing unit.
 12. The optical module as claimed in claim 11, wherein said optical path changing unit comprises: a hologram element which diffracts and transmits incident light beams from outside optical module unit.
 13. The optical module as claimed in claim 11, wherein said optical path changing unit comprises: first hologram elements provided with first and second patterns which diffract and transmit incident light beams from said first and second light sources, respectively; and second hologram elements installed adjacent said first hologram elements and provided with third and fourth patterns which diffract and transmit incident light beams from said objective lens onto said photo-detector.
 14. The optical module as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a substrate; said first and second light sources located on said substrate; a photo-detector installed on said substrate for receiving a light beam which is received from said optical path changing unit; and a housing.
 15. An optical pick-up apparatus comprising: first and second light sources for emitting light beams of different optical characteristics; an optical path changing unit for changing through diffraction the path of incident light beams whereby a light beam impinging on said optical path changing unit on substantially a same optical path as a light beam from said optical path changing unit is separated from said light beam from said optical path changing unit within said optical module; an objective lens disposed in the optical path between said optical path changing unit and the designed location of a recording medium for focusing the light beams emitted from said light sources on said recording medium; and a photo-detector which detects light reflected from said recording medium.
 16. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said optical path changing unit comprises: a hologram element which diffracts and transmits incident light beams from said objective lens onto said photo-detector.
 17. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said optical path changing unit comprises: first hologram elements provided with first and second patterns which diffract and transmit incident light beams from said first and second light sources, respectively; and second hologram elements installed adjacent said first hologram elements and provided with third and fourth patterns which diffract and transmit incident light beams from said objective lens onto said photo-detector.
 18. The optical pick-up apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising: a substrate; said first and second light sources located on said substrate; a photo-detector installed on said substrate for receiving a light beam which is reflected from said recording medium; and a housing. 